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The Huron Expositor, 1986-12-24, Page 3MERRY CHRISTMAS THE HURON EXPOSITOR, DECEMBER 24, 1926 - A3 term stayed, a Seaforth term In this neck of the woods we call it being " •torm stayed", but in other areas people ill say stranded, snow bound, or just plain etained. Being storm stayed is an inconven- ence for everyone involved and therefore revention is of primary importance. With Seaforth situated in the middle of the ,guw belt area schools have become well versed in the procedures ensuring students get to and from school safely. At the local high school, principal Harry Scott is the math oordinator for area school buses going out arid deciding whether or not classes will he cancelled. Mr. Scott said if conditions are not looking good the bus company will notify him about 6:30 a.m. that there is a possibility the Muses won't be going out. Roads are checked by the bus company and this can sometimes involve driving down country roads just to see how bad they are. Mr. Scott and a representative of the bus company then gecide whether or not the buses should proceed. This decision is usually made by 7 a m. and if the buses are cancelled radio 's'ations in London and Wingham are Retified. Due to interconnecting bus systems several schools are involved in the end result brut the decision comes from M r. Scott, as the Eo-ordinating principal. Safety of the stu- dents is the main consideration. Sometimes tie students may make it into school in the morning, but if the weather is deteriorating the buses might have to be sent home early. Ho; Tully situations can he avoided where the students have to remain in town overnight. Mr. Scott says the high school doesn't have a billeting system, but if the situation arose that studentsfrom the would country may couldn't get home, an appeal over the PA system for students to welcome friends into their homes. U there were still students without a place to go, an The appeal would be made to the town at large. y case Mr. Scott knows of when area high school students were stranded in Seaforth for a number of days was in the blizzard of 1971. Mr. Scott was not teaching in Seaforth at the time but to his knowledge this was the last time billeting was necessary for high school students. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Both St. James School and Seaforth Public School are affected by bus cancellations and school closing decisions. At the Public school the children have never had to bu billeted out but with the advent of busing to the school some changes have been made. There is a homework package prepared by the teachers and given out to students in the fall. if students find they are stuck at home because of bad weather, they can complete the homework assignments. The public school used to give out a form in the fall to students that would indicate where they would go in the event of a storm keeping them in town. Since billeting was never required this form (Continued on Page Alltl HIBBERT GETS NEW TRUCK — Hibbert Township received their new tandem truck on November 13. The truck, which coat $89,020 will be used primarily for snow removal and general road maintenance work. Pictured handing over the keys to Road Superintendent Gary Kemp Is Hibbert Reeve Roy Swart, left. Watching the transaction are Deputy -Reeve Walter McKenzie and operator Frank Elliott. The townehip received a supplementary grant of $42,000 from the MTC to subsidize the purchase. The balance of the purchase has been paid out of the township's reserve fund for machinery. (Advocate photo) • • ��® �rms affect ever one in small communities Winter Asheadq g Y 'V.'A good winter snow storm has a definite affect on everyone in a small town. Many ople can remain home while others do their st to get to work. Schools are affected, the lice departments, public works depart- ents, and hydro crews are often needed to cfp extra time to get things rolling again. me merchants manage to get the doors en and hang up their shingle while others ith a longer way to come decide the number customers going out in the storm doesn't arrant the risky drive. Although Seai'orth does not have a lot of large industries, it proved interesting to find out what some of the local employers do in the event of a blizzard. Genesco has about 70 employees and plant manager Charlie Geddes said there have been occasions when the plant has had to close due to bad weather. Although many ofthe employees live in town there are enough from the surrounding area (o slop production if they can't get i nto town. Sometimes if the weather gets bad during the day the plant manager will have to make a decision to shut down early and let the employees go home while the going is good. • Mr. Geddes said in 20 years there was only mately 45 employees at the creamery and one occasion where employees were stranded they have never had to have the employees in the plant. At that time four employees billeted out because of a storgn. Trucks are including the plant manager at the time were sent out at the descretion of the individual stuck inside the factory for two days, drivers. Although Mr. Cooper makes the decision as to whether or not the plant At the Seaforth Creamery Jerry Cooper production continues, the truck drivers are said production continues in bad weather taking the risks on the road so they make their depending on how many employees can make own decisions about whether or not to go. it into work, If the work can proceed it's on One small town industry that can't simply with the show, but if there are too few shut down when the weather gets bad is the workers, the creamery is shut down and local hospital. Joyce Doig, formerly a nurse at everyone is sent home. There are approxi- the Seaforth Community Hospital and now head of the Emergency Department at Clinton Public Hospital, says winter storms can wreak havoc in small hospitals. There have been many occasions when hospital staff could n o1 get into work to relieve the nurses on duty. Usually on these occasions many staff can't get home anyway and so end up working extra shifts to keep the hospital running smoothly and the patients comfort- able. During the blizzard of '71 Mrs. Doig had to be driven home from the hospital in a horse and cutter driven by Dr. Whitman, after doing double duty for several days. Since there are emergency part time staff in most towns that can be called in for temporary duty al the hospitals, and since hospitals have their own cafeteria, lounges, and beds, sometimes the nurses can enjoy •the small comforts available in spite of the fact they are stranded at work. In 1976 Mrs. Doig was stranded at work for 10 days and missed Christmas and New Years with her family before being returned at long last by ambulance. eaforth caught in the snow belt The second biggest problem during major Seaforth is smack dab in the middle of the the stranded people. storms, that can be revented, is an increase snow bell and it is a•very unusual winter if After talking to members of the local police in miss, t arsons p vets. d, is a in r the there are no days when area roads are closed department and area OPP one of the biggest nines man P rs Is rep et to cco a home she to traffic. Although for many people a day like problems the police face is the fact that when p P P are P this can provide a welcome holiday, for area the weather gets had people lie up the I lmrolatives knowut see safe. They do d at policemen a blizzard is not so welcome, Local dispatcher with questions about the road S c e ne's the alb int are sash and are ndt to police in Seaforth receive direction from the conditions. This is not only very inconven- in rry abut t her mind they itchla d aret f t let n OPP that certain roads are to be closed and lent, as the dispatcher is always busy in bad in such h a sts know mhere fey t argil The result is then the local officers must try to enforce this weather with serious calls. but it is wverying senoves he otl them missing whtcs decision. Barriers are set up by the public dangerous. If the dispatcher is answering worr In the Diver deportment's issing which works department and the police then hope to road reports he can't get the police and P P prevent anyone from leaving town on that ambulances out in case of accidents, Both storm schedule. particular road. police departments would like to remind it's wise to remember that although we This is not an easy task. The police are people the Ministry of Transportation and might he sale and warm at home during the there for ybur safety but many people feel Communications has a Zenith number and at blizzard. the police are out in full force trying that they are quite capable of driving in no charge you can get the road report for the to ensure that everyone, gets home safely as blizzard conditions. it is not unusual for roads in your area as well as farther afield, soon as possible. people to drive around the barrier and make By-passing barriers a �jrey area an attempt to gel home. Constable John �ae'm--,cr .-..� ,� • �, «F{d`i i Cairns said there is a Finc�bf $5'�.y5ttfi"6tf c�n'T ^ someone strew to pros d past .the barrier and then ends up in ap'accident that damages the car the insurance could technically be denied. However cases are looked at individually and if the insurance is not denied it could he reduced. The reason for this is that the driver•owner has elected to take a certain amount of risk. This decision is taken into (Continued on Page A4i be imposed on people yeho-.goo araund a harrier closing a road. The charge is failing to abide a lawful sign, People who go through a road harrier may think they're home scot free but they can he charged at the other end. C'nnstable Cairns remembered an incident when two cars went through the harrier at Mitchell. The Mitchell Police then adioed ahead to Seaforth and the two drivers ere then charged upon their arrival. Fonstable ('aims said it was often difficult to ,enforce the mad closures since there are four points to man and lack of manpower is a problem Often exceptions can he made if someone is stranded in town and is attempting to get home to a farm nearby. If. for instance, ighway 8 is closed from Stratford to Gnderich thele are often relatively clear areas. If the resident lives only a mile or two away they may he allowed to make an attempt to gel home Cooperation between the various town olive departments and the OPP is essential, ll police are trained as to the procedures to r'"he followed when adverse weather conditions 'r'imake driving hazardous Often the OPP will • get a directive from the MTC that road '3"2onditions are poor. However as OPP officer hi,•,Jim MacLeod slates "Just as often it's the t'';OPP who decide that the road should be i't'closed because of the number of accident !cr'ralls and the general bad conditions." Then the OPP inform the MTC and area police ytitdepartments so that barriers can be set up. ' i '1 II EIPf•TI. 11 Ol :SEII O IDS bnc In Seaforth the police department has kn eompiled a list of households who are willing Free take the victims of a snow bell storm. The ",1, list includes the names and phone numbers of 9tl'1he households, the number of beds avail - `+'r bible, and how many people could stay there. 199 is list has been compiled for use in the case lc' of bad blizzards or other unforeseen disas- 1')iters. if someone is stranded in town and the 'wr,brea hotels are full the police phone homes on mng1e list and arrange for accommodation for erie humor hair it --that tjrtljng,,�major S,Sorm when roads are closed there are people who, determined to get home, or wherever, will bypass the barriers and head out onto a "closed" road. What are the rnnsequences regarding car insurance. accidents. and safety? According to Jim Etue. a Seaforth insurance agent• this is a very grey area. If t' the emergency department at Clinton Mrs. Doig stated there are times even during a heavy storm when roads are closed, that the ambulance really must take a chance to get a patient to another location. it must be a dire emergency and once the doctors, nurse, and ambulance drivers decide to go the police and even area snow removal crews are notified. There have been occasions when a snowplow has been sent out in front of an ambulance to clear the way. Once the ambulance drivers have completed the main trip with the patient, they then must turn around and try to get back as soon as possible or the area would be without coverage, On the lighter side Mrs. Doig recalls an incident during a blizzard several •%ears ago in Seaforth. Nurses were notified an obstetrics patient would soon be arriving via skidoo, The necessary preparations were made and nurses watched anxiously out the hospital windows for any signs of the pregnant patient. A skidoo complete with skiboose on the back came roaring up to the hospital door while nurses scattered to their stations to prepare for the main event. Out of a bundle of blankets• and layers of clothing appeared not the patient but the doctor. The patient arrived later by skidoo and everything went well. in most storms the emergency department of a hospital is either very busy or very quiet. There are either no arrivals because of closed mads. or there are many emergency cases caused by driving accidents. Regardless of the situation the hospital must continue to function as normally as possible, storm or no storm 1 v 1 bet b - CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS — An elderly couple hit with hard hose before Ctirtatmas are overwhelmed by the generosity of their neighbors and friends in a play put on by the Grade 3 and 4 class of St. Columban School. Poor themselves they Shote their gifts with some even poorer orphans. (Mcllwralth photo) COMPONENTS OF A CANADIAN CHRISTMAS -- When Seaforth Public School students tried to determine what factors made up a real Canadian Chrletmss they came up with snow. Snowflakes and the resulting snowmen and snow forts are one thing a Canadian Christmas is very rarely tacking. The students presented their annual Christmas concert last week to family and ((tends, COMMUNITY CALENDAR n•u, r unit 'era Vitra '- '' } (sf't 4 arsp� theel e,e� ea a bite uo(` t'rbf�A REAL CANADIAN CHRISTMAS — Studente at Seaforth Public 7c't:Schopl tried Iaat week to determine what a truly Canadian au i=Chrlatmas really was, and couldn't. Finally they decided every Canadl'an celebrated Christman a little bit differently because of the • size of the country end the diversity of Its people, countryside and climate. They trled to convey that to family and friends who attended their Christmas concert last week. (Mcliwraith photo) If you're organizing a non-profit event of interest to other Seaforth area residents, phone the recreation office at 527-0882 or the Expositor al 527-0240, or (nail the information to Community Calendar, The Huron Expositor, Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, MK t WO well in advance of tate scheduled date. Space for the Community Calendar is donated by The Huron Expositor. Tuesday, December 23 5:30-6:30 p.m. Pee Wee Practice. 6:30-8 p.m- Bantam vs Clinton 8-10 p.m. Midget vs Milverton Wednesday, December 24 9:3i-10:30 a.m. Novice Practice 10:30 • 11:30 a.m. Atom 1 practice • 11:30-1210 a.m. Atom iI practice Thursday, December 25 Merry Christmas Saturday, December 27 7:30-8:10 a.m. Bhrins vs Oilers 8:30-9:30 a.m. North Stats vs Canadians 930-10:30 a.m. Whalers vs Flames 10:30-11 :30 p.m. Jets vs Penguins 11:30-12:30 p.m. Flyers vs Leafs 12:30-1:30 p.m. Mites Saturday cont'd 1:30-2:30 p.m. Petite Ringette 2:30-4 p.m. Public Skating 4.5 p.m Midget 6-7 p.m. Atom 11 vs Hensall 7.8 p.m. Bantams Sunday, December 28 1:30-3 p.m. Public Skating 3-5 p.m Centenaires practice 6-7 p.m. Junior Belles Ringette 7-8.30 p m Canadians vs Bruins 8:30-10 p m Rangers vs Flyers Monday, December 29 8 a.m. • 4 p.m. Jr. Houseleague Hockey Tournament 4:30-8:30 p.m. Figure Skating Tuesday, December 30 5:30-6:30 p.m. Pee Wee Practice 6:30-8 p.m. Bantam Practice 8-10-p. m. Midgets vs Goderich 0